Alaska wildfire officials have witnessed the smallest amount of land burned to date at this time of the summer months, due to damp and cool weather has remained throughout the state.
A little 1300 acres are burned, in comparison to the more than 3.1 million acres was burned last year. This is the lowest recorded in the beginning of July.
The smallest amount of land that was statewide burned in the summer was 9,500 acres in 2008 although the exact records start in 1993.
“We currently have our lowest overall acreage and the smallest total acreage that we’ve ever witnessed during this time of year,” said Heidi Strader who is a fire weather manager for the Interagency Coordination Center. “Usually we’re getting 10 times the amount of acreage. In reality, it’s extremely low.”
To Southcentral Alaska, fire officials and National Weather Service meteorologists anticipate continued wet and cold circumstances, which means that the area is likely to stay clear of major fires this year.
“If the larger trees and the deep organics haven’t had enough dry weather to dry up and get involved in a fire Then it’s extremely unlikely that we’ll witness a major fire season this year,” Strader said.
With no large fires to battle within the state, a few Alaska wildland firefighting squads are being sent to Canada where they are experiencing an record-breaking year of wildfires.
Some teams remain in Alaska and profiting from the absence of forest fires to build 10 fuel breaks in the vicinity of communities that are prone to fire, according to Lily Coyle, a public information officer at the State Division of Forestry and Fire Protection. The goal is to remove 800 acres worth of fuel break this summer, she explained.
“We’re looking at fuel breaks in every Division of Forestry and Fire Protection area throughout the state, which means it’s actually been a very efficient summer, and season for us, and we’ve been able to help to protect communities in a proactive manner,” Coyle said. “It basically sets the conditions for them to fight fires in a safe manner and protect communities in the future, if a wildland fire is able to occur in the region.”
The entire state of Alaska is likely to be spared fire dangers from wildfires. The biggest fire that is currently burning across the state is close to Delta Junction, and a Red Flag warningwas issued on Thursday in areas of the Eastern Alaska Range and surrounding regions until Friday.
Beth Ipsen, a spokesperson for the Alaska Fire Service, said that the continuous rain has prevented fires that had begun from getting out of control, but she warns against irresponsible behavior.
“While it’s been a very humid summer this year, it the possibility that you’re not careful in the presence of a fire, you’ll ignite an uncontrolled fire that can cause a lot of damage,” Ipsen said.
For more information about the restrictions on burning regardless of where you are located in Alaska Visit dnr.alaska.gov/burn.
